Nail salons in the UK are using a potentially harmful compound to make acrylic false nails. Some salons are using a substance called MMA (Methyl Methacrylate) which can cause nail disfigurements and infections. The substance is a cheap and nasty alternative to EMA (Ethyl Methacrylate) which is used by reputable salons.
MMA is one of the liquids which can be mixed with acrylic powder to make the false nails. The substance has been banned in the United States but is, amazingly, still legal in the UK. MMA does not bond well to the natural nails, so the nails are filed down first with a drill to provide a rough surface on to which the product can stick. This can cause permanent damage to the nail plate. Symptoms include soreness, nail disfigurement and infections which if left, may rot the nail plate.
The nail extensions are very hard, so they very rarely lift or break. The clients think that the nails are great and that technician must be doing a good set of nails. What they do not know is the damage being caused to their natural nail plate.
Technicians may wear masks (although, not always a clue) to prevent inhalation of the very strong almost acidic odour.
Electric Drills are often used to allow the MMA to bond with the nail plate.
The nail extensions will be difficult to remove as MMA does not react well to acetone. Drills are often used to remove the product.
Sets of nails are normally cheap, approximately £15 - £25.
Nails tend to go yellow after 2-6 weeks.
Allergic reactions such as redness, itchy skin, blisters, and swollen cuticles are very common.
Bottles or jars used are not professionally labeled.
I started going to a salon a while ago that I thought was very good. Their prices were brilliant only charging £25.00 for a full set. Every hour they had the clients coming in, one after the other. I thought this was fantastic because so many women of today are in a rush to get anything done, so this fitted in perfectly with my lifestyle.
Firstly, I was not offered a client consultation and the minute I sat down my nail tech hauled out the drill and proceeded to ask me what I wanted done. We discussed my treatment in all of about 2 minutes.
My nail tech always wore a mask which I thought protected her from the dust caused from the drill which is common sense but her reason was to protect her from the very strong odours of the products which I though was normal. I often asked her what products she used and she could never give me a straight answer, she always said that they were imported. I tried to look at the bottles to see if they were labeled and they were not.
Time (months) went on and my nails never broke or cracked but one day I slammed my nail in a drawer and the nail didn’t bend, break or crack which I found very strange, they were rock hard. The months in between, my overlays were never soaked off but ripped off. This was very painful for me and started to thin my nail plates immensely. After ripping my overlay off, the drill was hauled out again to roughen my nail plate. Let’s not forget the amount of times she hurt me with the drill and kept pulling my hand towards her every time I pulled it away.
After months of pain I went in for my regular infill and chatted to a client waiting her turn who’d also had similar experiences to me and I said to her that I had changed my mind that I was having mine taken off as the feelings of pain in my fingertips did not feel normal at all, she decided the same. My nail tech was very upset with what I had decided. After having them removed, that day my nails were wafer thin and I genuinely thought they were ruined for the rest of my life. I had experienced unbearable amounts of pain for about 6 months afterwards. They eventually grew out back to there normal state and I am just grateful I did not experience anything too severe. Later that year the salon closed down due to harmful chemicals being used and a Creative Nail Design salon opened in its place.